Parents who spoke out against the standards-based grading system at Falcon High School during the December School District 49 Board of Education meeting may not have gotten the answer they were looking for from the board or district administration.At the meeting, Peter Hilts, D 49 chief education officer, said the district is unable to make changes to the system right now. He said he understands the urgency the parents feel to make a change, but he cannot expect the teachers to redo their entire grading system in the middle of the year.Hilts said there will be discussions about how the system needs to change for the future. The FHS innovation plan that set the standards-based grading system into place will come under review in 2015, and Hilts said when district administration makes a recommendation for what system to use, it wonít be the current one.Michelle Freeburger, who spoke at the meeting, also talked to The New Falcon Herald in a subsequent interview on her reaction to the meeting.ìI was encouraged,î Freeburger said. ìI think they listened to what I said. I think that Peterís statement that we canít do anything now ó I would like that to be different. Iím still advocating for some change now.ìPeter made it clear that we arenít going back to the traditional grading system. I donít mind if they donít go back to the traditional grading system, if they fix the flaws in this system.îFreeburger said ideally she would like to see immediate changes in the system that would affect grades from the fall semester. ìIím advocating small changes that could have a big impact on this semester and this year,î Freeburger said. ìI also honestly believe that the best way to get a resolution is to have a good relationship with the school.îConversations after the meeting and on the FHS grading system Facebook page indicate that parents will continue to fight to get the system changed as quickly as possible.
